Dead Snails

[Tomasz]

I started a new tank up a couple of weeks ago and used rock from the display tank at the LFS.

It was already cycled because of the rock, so I added four snails and one shrimp. Within 24 hours, the snails were all dead, but the shrimp was ok. Water stats are all fine, does anyone have any ideas as to why they could have died? can they be sensitive to acclimatisation?

 

[leecara]

what snails are they? and the rock will cycle again but only little beacause when you transport this to your tank at home the rock will have die off due to the air from one ank to the other also snails are usually very hardy but shrimp are quite senstive so i dont know has the tank had any copper based meds used in it b4??

 

[Tomasz]

They were turbo snails and were added a week after the tank was filled and the rock added. The rock was kept wet from the LFS to my house, so I dont think (?) it will be a mini cycle?
No copper meds have ever been used in it, its a new tank, thats why I am a little confused by it. I also got a brittle star in the rock, thats ok as well..

 

[leecara]

could u have a crab hitch hiker killing the snails for shells keep your eyes ot for something

 

[N1z]

Sounds like they might be just fallin on their shells and cnt get back on their feet so they die, lots happen to me.

Sounds like they might be just fallin on their shells and cnt get back on their feet so they die, lots happen to me.

 

[Tomasz]

Will keep an eye out, only hitch hikers I have seen so far are a couple of bristle worms, a small starfish about 6mm across and a tiny shrimp Ive only seen once.
There are a couple of red legged crabs, but they are too small to bother the snails

 

[Matty P]

Yeh if you see a snail on its back turn it back up again because it can't do it itself.

Matt

 

[AndyS]

More than likely acclimatisation, snails need to be acclimatised very slowly if you want them to survive, how long did you take and what method did you use? Its recommended to use the drip method over a few hours for snails to be fully acclimatised properly.

Andy

 

[Matty P]

Sorry to hijack the thread but, how long can Turbos live for?

 

[SkiFletch]

Dunno, but I purchased mine from a fellow reefer who'd had it 2 years before me, and mine's been living for a year now. That makes my turbo at least 3 years old. I'd imagine these things can live for decades.

 

[johnnyjtaylor]

Dunno, but I purchased mine from a fellow reefer who'd had it 2 years before me, and mine's been living for a year now. That makes my turbo at least 3 years old. I'd imagine these things can live for decades.

I'm sure I've read 3yrs is maximum lifespan for turbos

 

[Matty P]

Dunno, but I purchased mine from a fellow reefer who'd had it 2 years before me, and mine's been living for a year now. That makes my turbo at least 3 years old. I'd imagine these things can live for decades.

I'm sure I've read 3yrs is maximum lifespan for turbos

OK thanks guys.

Matt

 

[Tomasz]

I did it over about an hour, pouring half a cup at a time into the bag, rekon it was this then?

Another one didnt look too good this morning, will check tonight. They are pretty good at hiding, I took some of the rock out last night to find them and couldn't find two of them so I think I better have another check tonight. They cannt have got out though, the tops sealed on the tank.

I am using 100% ro water and pro reef salt

 

[SkiFletch]

I did it over about an hour, pouring half a cup at a time into the bag, rekon it was this then?

Another one didnt look too good this morning, will check tonight. They are pretty good at hiding, I took some of the rock out last night to find them and couldn't find two of them so I think I better have another check tonight. They cannt have got out though, the tops sealed on the tank.

I am using 100% ro water and pro reef salt

An hour is a pretty good amount of time. Longer is of course always better, but I've personally had success with 1 hour drip acclimation with snails. Sometimes they're damaged during shipping beyond repair and there's nothing we can do about it.